The power and sophistication of photonic technology lends itself to the advancement of the medical science of opthalmology wherein the photonic technology can be deployed to capture information in a non-invasive manner. Such information typically pertains to the retina.
The human eye can be described as a complex optical and physiological system whose purpose is to provide an image of the environment to the brain. The anatomy of the human eye is shown in FIG. 1. As with any camera, the front portion of the eye (cornea and crystalline lens) acts as a focusing element that produces an image on the back surface of the eye (the retina) where photochemical transducers convert the optical signal into electrical signals that can be understood by the brain.
Direct visual observation of the retina can be used for non-invasive diagnostic purposes. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a method and system for quantifying disease progression through retinal health assessment and management.